Integration of Micro/Nanobubbles into Biopolymer-Based Coatings: An Innovative Concept and Hypothetical Approach for...

Postharvest losses are an enormous issue for food security and account for 30-40% of fruit and vegetable spoilage. Despite the potential of biopolymer-based coatings for fruits and vegetables as sustainable materials in comparison with traditional packaging, practical use is still limited due to poor barrier and mechanical properties and uncontrolled release of active components. Therefore, the proposed micro/nanobubble-integrated biopolymer edible coatings (MNB-BEC) framework builds on emerging studies of nanobubble-assisted biopolymer films and extends these findings toward a broader conceptual framework for postharvest edible coatings for minimizing food losses. The study focused on micro/nanobubble-integrated biopolymer edible coatings as an innovative strategy for advanced postharvest preservation. The proposed concept emphasizes the physicochemical properties, higher surface area, and gas-liquid mass transfer of micro/nanobubbles in biopolymer-based coatings to design multilayer coatings with higher functionality. This integration of biopolymers with micro/nanobubbles may help in enhancing barrier, mechanical, structural, and thermal properties of the film. In addition, manipulation of gases, including ozone (O₃), CO₂, O_2, and ethylene levels, resulted in the formation of an antimicrobial environment to reduce microbial spoilage and maintain the physicochemical properties and consumer acceptability of produce by retarding oxidative stress, moisture loss, and respiration rate. Innovative concepts and hypotheses focus on MNB-BEC, bubble formation techniques, types of insert gases, biopolymers, their characterization techniques, and applications. The major challenges, including interfacial stability, release kinetics, scalability, and regulatory and industrialization issues associated with the technology, were also discussed. With developments in colloidal formation, gas-liquid interfaces, and edible coating technology, the present concept offers a comprehensive conceptual framework for MNB-BEC as a sustainable and multifunctional packaging system.